Learn what Claude Code is, how it differs from other AI tools, and see it in action explaining code and finding bugs.

See Claude Code in Action

Getting Started with Claude Code

Debug Python Code with Claude Code

The Explore-Plan-Code Workflow

Initialize and Explore a Codebase

Deep Analysis with Extended Thinking

Creating Effective CLAUDE.md Files

What Belongs in CLAUDE.md?

Keeping CLAUDE.md Current

Extend Claude Code with custom agents and skills, then apply them to refactor legacy code with confidence and automate checks with hooks.

Custom Agents

Options

Use an Agent

Ask Claude Directly

When to Use Agents

Explore Agents and Review Code

Creating Skills

Good for a skill

Not good for a skill

Choosing When to Use a Skill

Create a Skill File

Using Skills

Build a Test Baseline for Refactoring

Practice Safe Refactoring

Automating Checks with Hooks

Good use of hooks

Skip the hook

When to Use Hooks

Understanding Hooks

Extending Claude Code

Extend Claude Code by connecting it to a database. Build one working endpoint from exploration to testing.

What Is MCP?

What MCP Enables

When Does MCP Add Value?

Connect to a Database

Explore the Database Schema

Explore the Music Database

Build One API Endpoint

Build an Albums Endpoint

Add Validation

Test Your Endpoint

Write and Run Integration Tests

Unit vs Integration Tests

Connecting to External Tools with MCP

Build a complete CLI tool from scratch, combining every major skill from the course — plan mode, MCP database connections, custom agents, and code review.

Planning Your Tool

Plan the CLI with Claude

When to Plan Thoroughly

Build and Test the Tool

Build the CLI

Write and Run Tests

Review Before Shipping

Review with the Code-Reviewer Agent

Fix the Case-Sensitivity Bug

Congratulations and What's Next

Building a Music CLI

Claude Code turns your terminal into an AI-powered development environment — but getting reliable results takes more than just asking it to write code. Learn the structured workflows that separate productive AI-assisted development from frustrating trial and error. You'll explore unfamiliar codebases, refactor safely with tests, and extend Claude Code with custom agents, skills, and hooks tailored to your team. Connect to real databases using MCP, build a complete CLI tool end-to-end, and develop a systematic approach to reviewing AI-generated code before it ships. Real workflows, real code, real results.

<h2>Why Claude Code for Real Software Development?</h2>Claude Code brings AI assistance directly into your terminal — but getting reliable results takes more than just asking it to write code. You'll learn the structured workflows that separate productive AI-assisted development from frustrating trial and error, starting with how to explore an unfamiliar codebase and build a mental model fast.
<h2>How Do I Get Better Results, Consistently?</h2>The explore-plan-code workflow is the foundation. You'll use plan mode and extended thinking to separate exploration from execution, and create CLAUDE.md files that give Claude persistent context about your project so you're not re-explaining the same things every session.
<h2>How Do I Make Claude Code Work the Way I Do?</h2>Claude Code is general-purpose by default. You'll extend it with custom agents for specialized tasks like code review and security auditing, reusable skills that encode repeatable procedures, and hooks that automatically run tests and linting without you having to ask.
<h2>How Do I Connect Claude Code to Real Data?</h2>Claude can't query your database without a bridge. You'll configure MCP servers to give Claude direct access to a SQLite database, then use that connection to explore schemas, build validated API endpoints, and write tests against real data — all from the terminal.
<h2>How Do I Ship AI-Generated Code I Can Trust?</h2>You'll bring everything together by planning and building a complete CLI tool, then applying a seven-item checklist to systematically catch the mistakes AI commonly makes before they reach production. Real workflows, real code, real results.

Introduction to AI Agents

Claude Code brings AI assistance to your terminal. Learn the workflows that turn it into a reliable tool for real software development.

Software Development with Claude Code

Run tests after every file edit during a refactoring session

Auto-format code whenever Claude writes a file

Block deletion of configuration files in production

Making a one-time quick fix to a single file

Experimenting with a completely new approach

Debugging why an existing hook isn't working

When to Use Hooks

Software Development with Claude Code

Hands-on interactive exercise